


Parasite

by QueenandLeonhardt



Series: The Parasite [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2019-03-16 14:49:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13638432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenandLeonhardt/pseuds/QueenandLeonhardt
Summary: The paladins of Voltron go to an abandoned planet where they find a parasite who possesses people and feeds off of their strong emotions like shame and anger has possessed Keith. Shiro will do anything to get the parasite out of the man he cares for.





	Parasite

It was a barren planet, nothing but a shell of what Coran and Allura had described. Shiro looked ahead from his lion and saw nothing but tall silver strands of what seemed to be grass-like vegetation growing from the ground under a dark red sky. Pretty as it was, the place was deathly silent. There was no life to be seen anywhere; no wildlife, no aliens, no anything. The two Alteans had excitedly recounted a beautiful planet full of life, none of which Shiro could see. 

“Maybe we should stay in our lions for this one, guys,” Hunk suggested nervously over the comm system. “I don’t know… it’s just too quiet.” 

“Come on buddy, where’s your sense of adventure?” Lance shouted out excitedly. “Maybe there's something down there we can’t see.”

“Uh, guys?” Pidge spoke up. “I just did a scan and there’s no cities. Nothing. Anywhere.”

“Lame,” Lance groaned. “I was hoping for some cute space girls to--”

“We could check it out anyway,” Pidge interrupted, sounding suddenly disgruntled after Lance’s admission. “Hunk and I made something that can detect even the smallest life forms after that awkward situation on Xall, so maybe we could test it out to see if it works here?”

“I agree with Pidge,” Shiro said. “Maybe there’s still some people out there that we can’t see in our lions.” 

“I’ll land the castle and Coran and I will join you,” Allura said, her voice holding a twinge of disappointment. “As a little girl I loved coming here.” She sighed. “I suppose a lot has changed in 10,000 years.”

Shiro landed his lion along with the others amongst the waves of silver shining under the red light of the sky. Upon leaving his lion, he frowned at the two approaching Alteans. 

“Are you sure you want to come search with us?” Shiro asked Allura when they all met on the planet, surrounded by the five lions and the castleship. This mission didn’t need all of them just to do a simple search, especially when it seemed apparent that they’d find nothing. “This is probably going to be pretty boring. You and Coran could easily just stay in the castle.” 

She shook her head. “No, I think I’d like to view the planet as well. It was always one of my favourites to go to with my father.”

Shiro nodded, accepting her explanation. Once Allura had her mind set on something, Shiro would not want to be the one to tell her she couldn’t do it. Besides, the planet appeared harmless. Looking around at the expanse of vegetation, he doubted they were up against any severe danger that would mean Allura should stay in the castleship to guard it from intruders. 

“Xeros was always so full of life,” Coran recounted wistfully to the paladins as they walked, twirling a finger around his mustache. “They had the most beautiful architecture--crystal ships that appeared to touch the distinctly red sky. We’d stop by here to get the most delicious Xerosian millenberry wine.” 

Hunk immediately gained interest. “What’s a millenberry? Please tell me there's something I can use to make cupcakes that's not green goo.” 

“Wait!” Pidge interrupted excitedly. “I’ve got something, Hunk! There’s a life form close to us.” She frowned at the tech. “But it’s all confused, the counter keeps on breaking up and I can’t tell exactly where it is or what it’s doing.”

“Maybe there’s still some people left. Let’s see if we can find them,” Shiro said. “Let’s go, team.”

Keith walked with Shiro a little ways ahead of the rest, the two of them scouting but still within sight of the others.

Keith, already alarmingly more quiet than usual, had gotten noticeably closer to Shiro. 

“Shiro,” Keith interrupted softly. 

“In a minute, Keith,” Shiro said distractedly, trying to listen to Pidge’s ramblings about aliens nearby. 

“Shiro. I need to discuss something with you. Alone.” 

The tone in which the words were delivered made Shiro pause. They were sultry, smooth, and while really pleasing to his ears, it was utterly unlike Keith. Actually looking at him, Shiro could see the red paladin was gazing at him through half-lidded eyes, and was sporting pink cheeks and parted lips. These were all tell-tale signs of what Shiro knew to be lust.

Keith had only sauntered closer as Shiro was trying to make sense of his comrade’s odd behaviour. Shiro nearly jumped away at the feeling of fingers delicately fluttering down his left arm.

“Shiro. Alone,” Keith repeated, this time it was nothing more than a whimper. It sounded desperate, almost as if Keith was begging to be alone with Shiro. The way Keith was nuzzling himself up against Shiro’s chest gave him a pretty good idea of what Keith wanted. 

Shiro’s steps faltered and he finally came to a halt, trying to think of what he could say that would put distance between himself and Keith again without driving his friend away completely. He didn’t know why he wasn’t stopping this. The others were slowly catching up to them. Pidge looked up from her scanner and scowled at Keith’s display. “Gross.”

Lance groaned. “Agreed. I think mullet-boy’s porno sounds are going to haunt my nightmares forever.” 

“Lance, move your butt,” Pidge said as she nudged past the blue paladin, her attention fixed yet again on the gadget in her hands. “I’m finally getting a reading on this thing and you’re in the way.”

“How are you hearing Keith’s ‘porno sounds’?” Hunk asked as he fell into step beside his friend. They were now behind Pidge, whose steps had quickened with her growing excitement. “We’re still a few yards away.”

“I’ve got the volume for everyone’s helmet mics turned up. I swear Keith’s breathing is going to make me sick.”

“Mute him then. It’s not like Shiro and Keith flirting is anything new.”

As the legs of Voltron debated whether gaming lingo should be used in actual war settings, Shiro’s personal struggle against Keith’s flirtation continued.

“Please?” Keith asked, his voice heavy with the promise of all of Shiro’s darkest desires being fulfilled. He pressed his lithe form against their leader, quick fingers sliding across Shiro’s armor as he sought out gaps where he could dig his fingers in and feel the muscle underneath. 

“Oh my God you two,” Lance squawked loudly, apparently having ignored Hunks suggestion. “Are you kidding? You can’t do that here!” he said as he desperately reached forward to cover his hands over Pidge’s ears. 

“I know what sex is, Lance,” Pidge grumbled distractedly, quickly maneuvering her body away from his, and still having the majority of her attention stuck on the gadget held tightly in her small hands. 

Lance blushed. “Look at what you did, Keith! Seduce Shiro somewhere else!”

“No, that's not what's happening,” Shiro countered, voice firm with finality. He was growing genuinely concerned for the red paladin and it seemed nobody else shared this sentiment. “I-I don’t know what’s going on right now. There’s something wrong with Keith.” 

As strange as Keith’s behavior was, Shiro couldn’t find it in himself to pull away as Keith leaned in towards him. Keith leaned forward, warm breath ghosting the side of Shiro’s cheek. The brief brush of lips against his cheek combined with the finger drawing swirls along his lower abdomen was making him feel breathless. 

“You don’t have to deny it anymore, Shiro,” Keith purred, lips sliding along the shell of his ear. “We all know how badly I want you. Let’s go play together.” 

Shiro couldn't feel anything but confusion at this point. This really couldn't be happening. Keith didn’t do things like this. He was bold and sometimes impulsive, but never exhibited anything in the past that would lead Shiro to think he’d go so far as to try and seduce his good friend and leader in front of the other paladins, along with two Alteans who were currently looking on with confusion and vague interest at the spectacle before them. 

Everyone had caught up to them and was looking on, except for Pidge who was glaring at the gadget in her hands and muttering something about unknown lifeforms. Shiro focused his attention on her, desperate to have something to ground his raging emotions with. Keith wasn’t making it easy for him, practically rubbing against his chest as he all but begged for Shiro’s undivided attention.

“Keith!” Shiro shouted, quickly jumping out of the younger paladins grasp when he felt the hot and wet press of a tongue against his adam’s apple. Cheeks tinged bright red, Shiro looked back at Keith only to see the boy was giggling hysterically. It was beyond disconcerting now. There was something off and he had no idea what it was.

“I got it!” Pidge shouted, smacking her tech with the flat of her hand as the static on her screen cleared. “I got a lock on it, whatever it is.”

In her own little world, she adjusted a knob and pivoted on her foot, eager to find the source of the readings. When she looked up again, she was standing right in front of a flushed Keith. His eyes flashed with interest as she drew closer to him, the screen in her hands lighting up erratically.

“Well hello there,” Pidge chirped, her hand falling to her side to curl around her bayard.

“Get away from him, Shiro,” Allura commanded, her voice cold as ice. “I know what’s happening. That's not Keith.”

Keith’s giggles ceased, then he suddenly looked very disgruntled at Allura’s accusation. He threw his hands in the air in a way to show surrender. “You caught me,” he sighed out. “I guess it was fun while it lasted.” 

“Wait wait wait, what do you mean that’s not Keith?” Lance had summoned his own bayard the moment he saw Pidge go on the offensive. His hands were steady, weapon aimed toward Keith, but his voice betrayed his uncertainty. “He’s been with us the whole time!”

“It's a parasite!” Allura shouted. “It’s stolen Keith’s body. I’ve seen them before and what they do--Shiro, you should move away from it.” 

“Oh, c’mon,” the parasite whined through Keith’s mouth as Shiro backed away. “Why must you ruin my fun? Just let him have a taste, another little lick, Shiro.” It batted his eyelashes and pouted. “Please? He’ll do it anywhere y—” 

At that moment, a flash of blue light struck the thing’s back. Keith’s eyes rolled to the back of his head as the limp body slumped forward right into Shiro’s arms.

“Lance!” Shiro shouted, glaring at the boy.

“Sorry,” Lance said meekly, lowering his gun. “It was getting too gross for me. I only stunned him, I swear!” 

“Get him back on the ship,” Allura demanded. “We're going to have him quarantined.” 

At Allura’s words, Shiro shifted Keith’s body so he could carry the unconscious young man and his hitchhiker over his shoulder. 

The walk back to the castle was near tortuous. Shiro was barely able to keep himself moving, and when he remembered that the man in his arms was being possessed by some dark and unknown entity… that had just tried to seduce him no less…

Shiro tripped over his feet, but Allura was there to with a comforting gaze and a firm grip to steady him. He nodded his thanks and kept walking. Not letting this situation fully sink in was the only way he could deal with this and still function. 

When they finally made it back to the ship, Allura led him to a place in the castle he had yet to see. It was dimly lit, and had multiple square-shaped particle barriers that covered the expanse of the room.

“This is where my father held interrogations with prisoners,” Allura explained at Shiro’s expression of confusion. “We never had too many brought to the castle itself, but father still took precautions anyway.” She paused a moment before continuing, her mind clearly stuck 10,000 years in the past. “These walls are completely impenetrable and the parasite will have no way of escaping.”

Allura pressed a button on the sole control panel in the room and one of the walls of a square particle barrier disintegrated. Shiro took this as a queue to place Keith’s body upon one of the white benches within the cell. 

“You knew it was a parasite,” Shiro stated. “How?”

Allura hesitated before answering. “I know because I’ve seen it happen before.” She paused. “Coran will explain more.” 

Shiro frowned. She sounded so cryptic and it did nothing to sooth his nerves. 

“You should go to Coran to have him explain everything to you, Shiro,” she requested. “I will wait for the parasite to wake and question it.” 

Shiro nodded and turned to leave, despite the desperate urge he had to stay in Allura’s place to wait for the thing to wake. 

Making his way back to the others like Allura said to do, Shiro couldn’t help but have his mind race over everything that had just happened.

After the parasite’s attempt to seduce him, Shiro couldn’t stop thinking about it… about how it all felt. Keith had been in danger without him knowing, and had been forced to do those things against his will, and Shiro felt powerless. As he walked into the lounge, Shiro felt sudden anger at the predictive technology of the Alteans; he could have used some heavy manual doors to shove open hard enough that they banged against the walls.

Once entering the lounge, he gave the area a once-over and noticed that the other paladins were already there, all sitting around Coran who was distracted by the holo-display in front of him. There was a lack of the usual playful atmosphere one would find when Hunk, Pidge, and Lance were together. Instead, they seemed to all be off in their own worlds, silent and thoughtful with furrowed brows. It was disconcerting for Shiro to see them like this; it was just another reminder at how dire the situation was and how much the other paladin’s were worried for Keith and how much they really cared for him. 

“Coran,” Shiro said brusquely. “Allura said you’d know about the parasite?” 

The older Altean nodded and reached for a holo-display that sat on the table near him. “It’s almost like a virus,” said Coran. “The parasites are miniscule creatures that can be breathed in. Nobody knows exactly where they originate because they’re so small and take control of a host’s body before anyone realizes what’s happened.” Coran scrolled through different reports as he spoke, eyes scanning records that Shiro suspected were well over ten thousand years old.

Briefly looking at the pages Coran flipped through, Shiro felt a pang of nervousness at the clearly outdated information. No matter how technologically advanced the Alteans were, things evolve and change--he’d learned that much in his early biology classes at the Garrison. What if they couldn’t remove the parasite from Keith?

Shiro quickly tried to shake away the thought. He had to save Keith. 

“Alright… how dangerous is this thing?” Shiro asked, trying to distract himself from the path his thoughts were taking.

“Extremely dangerous. It's a type of parasite that feeds off of the victim’s life essence,” Coran informed. “It takes thoughts and emotions and anything else in the host’s mind. And this race… they have a habit of playing with their food.” 

“‘Playing with their food?’”

“Yes,” Coran affirmed. “It feeds in particular off of shame and anger, or any other really passionate emotion.”

“...like love? Or lust?” Lance hesitantly piped up. He scratched the back of his head as he spoke the suggestion, looking almost as though he hadn't wanted to say it at all. 

Coran coughed awkwardly. “Yes, I suppose that those would be fairly potent emotions that the parasite would like.” 

“So that’s why it picked Keith…” Lance muttered, seemingly to himself. He then looked ahead to address Coran. “Is Keith going to be okay?”

Coran looked hesitant to answer, and did so reluctantly, “this… depends.”

“How do we get it out?” Shiro interrupted abruptly, not wanting to go further down where their conversation could have been headed. He needed to know how to save Keith. 

“The only way we’re aware of is to get the parasite to willingly leave, which they have been known to do,” Coran then looked away from the other paladins, a dark sadness crossing his features. “Other times, they will simply kill the host when done feeding.” 

“There must be some other way,” said Pidge. “I’m sure there’s something somewhere that I can find. If it’s like a virus there should be some sort of medicine, right?” 

Coran shook his head. “As far as we’re aware, it’s only like a virus in the way its contracted. When the species infected Altea all those years ago we had to bargain with them to let our people go.” 

“How would we even get it to take the medicine?” Hunk countered nervously. “Also, what if it just killed Keith if we tried to force it? We need to be careful, guys.”

Pidge frowned. “There’s something we’re missing.” She reached out for the laptop in front of her. “There has to be some sort of updated database somewhere.” 

Allura entered silently amidst Pidge’s statements, looking as graceful and strong as ever. Shiro waited with bated breath for any update. 

“The parasite refuses to speak to me,” Allura explained with a deep frown. “It insisted on speaking only with Shiro.”

The other paladins all looked to Shiro with wide-eyed worry. 

“Under any other circumstance I would argue that this meeting is ill-advised,” she pressed on. “But it indicated that Keith’s life is at stake—Shiro,” Allura gave him a sad look that made his throat constrict. “I'm sorry.” 

Not feeling able to speak, Shiro simply nodded.

“What about somebody else?” Lance interjected frantically. “How about I go? Maybe I can get Keith to fight the thing? I think that I--” 

“Lance,” Shiro interrupted. “If it wants me it has to be me. We can’t risk it getting angry.” 

After a moment of looking like a kicked puppy, Lance nodded. 

Shiro made the trek back to the Altean equivalent of a holding cell with Allura. She stopped him before he entered, lightly placing a hand on his bicep. 

“I know what Keith means to you, Shiro,” she said softly. “So please bring him back to us.” 

Shiro walked in silently.

The parasite was sitting leisurely on the small bench in the cell, casually examining its nails. It smiled when it noticed Shiro entered the room. 

“He wanted you,” it said with a sly grin. “Wouldn't accept anybody else for me to play with.”

Shiro came to a stop in front of its cell. His features fell into a mask of calm that was betrayed by the heat of his glare and the way his hands fisted at his sides.

“You wanted to talk? Talk.” 

The thing with Keith's face pouted. “I want to play first.” 

“No games,” he snapped. “I want you to give Keith his body back.” 

“There are many ways I can kill him from inside this cell,” it informed him dully, as if talking about the weather. “I can easily find a new body in an Earthen year or two, I don't need this one.” It smiled and leaned forward, crossing its legs like an afterthought. “Changed your mind?”

Shiro’s blood ran cold. The words Coran had said, “playing with their food,” rang around in his head. 

“So will you play?” Keith’s voice purred.

“Fine,” he said, nothing in his voice indicating his quickly growing fear of the situation. “I'll play your game.” 

It’s smile widened. “I knew you would.”

“Any rules to it?” Shiro asked, eyes narrowing. Let this thing think it had Shiro on puppet strings all it wanted… let it get cocky, let it slip up. Just give me time to save him, Shiro thought.

Keith’s mouth split into a grin that bordered on feral. “I talk, you listen and answer my questions when asked.” 

“That doesn't seem very fair,” Shiro stated. “I don't get to ask questions?”

“Life isn't fair.” The parasite shrugged. “I'm the one with the leverage. You answer questions, the boy gets by without a scratch. You play my game, I get all the energy I want, and then I leave. Deal?” 

“Deal,” Shiro said through gritted teeth. 

There was a pause between the two, the parasite looking like the cat that caught the canary while Shiro glared viciously at it. 

After a moment, the thing spoke first.

“Do you know why I picked you?” 

“Keith and I,” Shiro began slowly, “we’re good friends. I know him best. That's why you picked me.” 

The thing pursed it's lips, then sighed. “Close enough, I suppose.” It was the way obvious disappointment laced its words that caught Shiro off guard. What did it mean, ‘close enough’? Shiro knew Keith better than anyone, knew their relationship better than the constellations he used to wish on every night, what the hell did this thing mean?

“Close enough?” The question slipped past Shiro’s lips before he could stop himself, and he froze in place, pulse racing. Had his own insecurities just put Keith’s life in even greater danger?

The parasite gazed out from Keith’s eyes in a cold stare, debating. Finally it exhaled and flashed a teasing smile at Shiro as it decided to let his infraction slide. Rules were rules, but it was hungry, and Keith wasn’t giving off as many emotions as it would like. It was time to make adjustments.

“He wants you, you know?” it said in a low voice.

“You already said that.”

It rolled Keith’s eyes. “Romantically. Sexually, too. He really wants you sexually.”

Shiro’s attention shot forward. There was a sound smirk on the things face now. Keith’s tongue peeked out between his lips, as if tasting the emotions that were roiling in Shiro’s chest. 

“I can see everything in his mind--every memory and thought,” it informed Shiro. “And my oh my does he have the most interesting thoughts about you.”

Keith… Keith would never. Shiro just knew it. Keith only ever saw him as a friend, a brother.

“He imagines you fucking him,” the parasite continued vigorously. “He loves the idea of you rutting into him like a savage beast.” 

“Stop,” Shiro hissed. “Keith doesn't—”

“Doesn't think that way?” It snorted out a laugh. “Please. The little boy pleasured himself to the thought of you pinning him down and fucking him on the floor of the training room just two days ago. He's very creative, your little whore.” It smirked. “Besides, what would I have to gain by lying?” 

“You have everything to gain,” Shiro replied coldly. “Like my best friend’s mind and body.” 

It shrugged nonchalantly at Shiro’s accusation. “I can prove it to you, if you'd like. Would you want me to?” 

“You're going to tell me either way.” 

It clapped its hands together in what Shiro supposed was mock-praise. “Oh good, so the fearless leader has a brain after all. I was beginning to think the those Galra scrambled your brains more than your little whore was letting me in on. But then again, he thinks oh so highly of you.” 

Shiro gritted his teeth, desperate not to let this thing goad him into a reaction. 

All that mattered was to bide enough time until Keith can get his body back. 

“I'll let you in on a secret,” the thing whispered conspiringly. “Shame tastes the best.” It smiled. “And is your little whore ashamed right now at what I'm telling you—what I'm going to tell you.” 

“What are you going to tell me?” Shiro questioned, his voice holding a hollowness to it. He was on auto-pilot, just listening to whatever to save Keith.

But at the moment he felt he was doing a pretty poor job at it. 

“He’d love to spread his legs for you and only you, and oh my are his naughty little dreams simply detailed,” it purred. “There are so many of them too, the only constant in them is you. Did you know that he could be the perfect little submissive? He acts all tough and ‘devil-may-care’ around you and your fellow paladins, but he secretly wants to be dominated by you. He always imagines you taking him and doing with him what you please, it gives him so much pleasure when he thinks about how well you’d fuck him and fill up his tight little ass with your big cock. And did I mention the whore is also a screamer? When he pleasures himself he has to bite his hand so he doesn't cry out your name for everyone to hear.”

It wasn't true. None of it. It couldn't be.

“You're wrong.” 

It scowled at him. “You want even more proof? I was being quite specific. You're really greedy aren't you, Shirogane? Don’t you remember we’re playing by my rules?”

Shiro didn't want to hear anymore at all. He wanted Keith to be Keith again, to know his best friend was okay. 

“Or I could always give a demonstration,” it said with a smirk, it’s right hand lightly fluttering along Keith’s lower abdomen. “I could always show you what he looks like while in the throws of ecstasy before screaming your name. Would you like that? Would that be proof enough?”

“No!” Shiro cried out, stepping forward toward the grinning parasite.

He froze in his steps the moment it raised an eyebrow at him in unamusement. He hadn’t meant to react the way he did, he knew any move he made could be detrimental to Keith’s wellbeing, but the thought of the parasite forcing Keith’s body to do things without Keith’s consent was terrifying to Shiro. What it was making Keith say was already a severe invasion of Keith’s privacy. Shiro knew Keith didn’t see him the way the parasite said he did, it wasn’t possible, but still. The fact that Keith was being forced to say such things about the man he saw as only a brother made Shiro sick. Keith didn’t deserve this. 

It smiled, then shrugged. “Something simple, then? Easy enough.” 

There was nothing “simple” about this situation, but as long as the parasite kept Keith’s hands to himself that’s all that mattered. 

“Don't you remember when you told him while you two were alone how you felt about being gone from Earth for so long? How you missed riding on your cherry-red hoverbike? Looking at all the Earthen constellations outside of the Garrison?” 

Shiro frowned. Nobody but him or Keith would know that. It was private. “Yes.”

“And then you two sparred like the good old times?” 

“Yes.” 

“Well,” it began, the word rolling off his tongue. “Your boy sure is enamoured.” It smiled. “And then the sparring? Oh, how he missed that. The skin on skin contact creates all sorts of fantasies he's kept hidden away from you.” 

Shiro tried desperately not to wince. His emotions had already been getting the best of him, and he couldn’t let it happen again. 

“He’d win and imagine straddling your naked hips; you'd win and he imagined being pinned down and taking cock like the slut that he is. Either way he wants it rough, so rough you'd leave him bruises that'd last for days. He'd hold them like badges of honour.”

No. It was lying. 

“He fantasises about riding your dick, giving you more pleasure than you ever thought possible. One snap of your fingers and he'd be on his knees for you, just begging to give you what he thinks you deserve. Oh, he's such the romantic too. He'd just kiss all your scars so sweetly to let you know how much you mean to him. He cares so much for you, and would love to see your face twisted in ecstasy at his hands.” 

Shiro felt like throwing up. This wasn't right. This wasn't Keith. Keith didn't deserve to be violated like this. The things he said weren't true, they couldn't be… and even if they were, hearing all these things when Keith’s voice wasn’t his felt wrong. 

But here he was, seeing Keith’s face and hearing Keith’s voice say all of this. 

“Oh, the boy’s shame,” it moaned. “It tastes delicious. Next I should tell you about his dreams he has where you're both in the black lion alone—simply scandalous. He's quite the adrenaline junkie, you know? He dreamt of how beautiful you look when you fly, and how the very best place to watch you would be on his knees and between your legs. Or would you rather I tell you the one where he's bent over the console? The team would be so disgusted if they knew just how badly he'd love those dreams to come true, I just know it.”

It frowned after a moment of whimpering and moaning about Keith’s shame as it was getting no response from Shiro. “This behaviour from an esteemed paladin of Voltron and your good friend and what? You act complacent? Where’s your outrage?” 

“You're not Keith. Keith would never say these things.” 

“But this is what he was thinking,” it insisted with a growl and a glare. “What part of ‘he fantasises about riding your dick’ do you seem to not understand?” 

“You could be lying,” Shiro argued vehemently. “Just because you know what I said that day doesn't mean that Keith thought those things.”

It raised an eyebrow. “I tell you the boy has specific detailed sexual fantasies about the two of you and what these fantasies are, and yet you still want to deny the truth? Why do you deny his obvious lust? Humans really enjoy sex, from what I can gather. Galra even more so... when they're not enjoying bathing in the blood of the innocents, of course. Is it really so implausible that your little whore, a growing boy of only 19, would be sex crazed and head-over-heels for you? The only man who ever showed him he could be more than a punk orphan with good simulation scores?” 

“What? Why bring up the Galra?” His voice came out barely a croak. 

“Your little whore is Galra. You know this.” 

“He's part-Galra, yes,” Shiro replied. “But that has nothing to do with this.” 

“I’ve been inside a Galra before. They fuck like they fight, you know? With teeth and nails.” It bared Keith’s teeth at Shiro. “He wants you to mark him like the submissive little bitch he is. He wants you to bite all over him, claiming him as yours and nobody else's.” 

Shiro’s hands balled into fists. He knew he couldn't shout or resort to violence if he wanted Keith’s body to be left alone, but keeping quiet was getting harder and harder. He just had to keep its attention until the other paladins found a way to get the thing out of Keith’s mind and body.

That was the game.

But Shiro didn’t want to play anymore. It was too much for him. He’s braved many things, especially during his time in the arena and as a paladin, but this time it was Keith. He was watching Keith be tortured and was hardly doing anything about it. 

“C’mon, Takashi,” it pouted at his silent fury, jutting Keith’s bottom lip out. “Don't you wanna play a little more?”

“Don't call me that.” He didn't want to hear it, not with Keith’s voice. Not like this.

“Why not, Ta-ka-shi?” it drawled. It cured Keith’s hands into claws against the particle barrier, a wicked grin alighting his features as it murmured:

“If not Takashi… how about ‘daddy’? Do you like that?” 

It laughed at the choking sound Shiro made after the name was heard. The name had been drawled out in a teasing manner, a tone that belonged in the privacy of a bedroom between two lovers. Shiro never had any interest in being called that by anybody, least of all a dark entity that was possessing his best friend. 

“… or would you rather I call you ‘champion?’ Did you like it when crowds would scream that name? You had quite the following, didn't you? All those Galra soldiers you entertained remained quite impressed with your feats of strength. You never lost a single battle.” 

“How do you know about that?” Shiro questioned, his eyes widening. “Keith wouldn't know about that.” 

“I just told you I've joined with Galra, five earthen weeks in fact,” it said, clearly unamused. “And you think I haven't heard of the notorious champion who slaughtered every alien in his way? That particular Galra was quite the fan if I remember correctly. Maybe that's why your little whore likes you so much,” it said. “It's at the very base of his DNA—loving violence, that is.” 

“Keith is nothing like that,” Shiro snapped. 

“Still so loyal even after everything I've told you? Aren't you disgusted? Appalled? Don’t you simply hate him? Somebody you see as ‘just a friend’ is one of those monsters who wants you to use him until you're absolutely sated. Personally, he feels such guilt every time he sees you and longs to have your lips against his, to have you inside him. He knows having you is unrealistic, and what right does he have to think up such fantasies full of detail?” It sighed. “He thinks of you so divinely, and yet can’t help but imagine himself writhing under you and orgasming at the thought of you pounding into him like an animal. Pathetic.” 

“Keith isn't pathetic,” Shiro growled, refusing to back down. “And being Galra has nothing to do with who he is.”

“Don't you remember what the Galra did to you, Takashi?” it questioned with mock-sympathy, contorting Keith’s face into an exaggerated frown. “They hurt you and forced you to maim and kill for their own personal pleasure. He's one of them. He oh-so selfishly wants you in his bed and doesn't even realize those primal urges to be bitten and fucked come from a long line of the same monsters who tortured you.”

It grinned when Shiro’s breath hitched. 

Memories he didn't want to remember flooded into his thoughts. They were all broken and blurry, but nobody could mistake the red of blood or screams from aliens as his Galra-created arm seared through flesh. He heard the excited chanting and boisterous laughter from the crowds as the champion stood triumphant covered in the blood of his victim. 

Not now. Oh God please not now. The familiar feeling of his breath being punched from his lungs washed over him. 

He had to ground himself—for Keith. 

“Keith isn't like them. He isn't.” 

“He isn't? You think so?”

“I know so.” 

It scoffed at him. “You’re too naive. The whore has Galra blood running through his veins. They’re vicious, Takashi. He wants violence. He wants you to be vicious with him--to bite, to scratch, to fuck raw. His blood is a poison that’s tainted him to have these savage urges. He’s dangerous. You don’t want the love of something like him.”

“Wanting sex doesn’t make you Galra or dangerous,” Shiro persisted. “Keith, he… he can want to have sex without it meaning anything.” 

It raised its eyebrows. “Very diplomatic answer, but let us be honest here. He wants sex with you. This isn’t a simple matter of whether he can have sex or not--by all means he’s free to do so however he wants. This is a matter of the fact that he thinks of having the most perverse sex with a man who was tortured by his species, you, a man who doesn’t want him. You don’t seem to completely understand the situation, Takashi. He’s Galra. They’re all monsters. Not to mention you’re apparently not interested and you never have been.”

“Keith isn’t a monster,” Shiro insisted angrily. “Stop saying that.” 

“Why are you getting so defensive over the child who's exploited your friendship?” it asked bitterly, staring directly at Shiro with an unamused expression on its face. “You have consistently denied me at every turn as I only try to help you.” 

“All you've done is try to shame Keith for your own gain,” Shiro insisted grimly. “I don’t like it when people hurt my friends.” 

The thing snorted at the word “friends.”

“Keith isn't a monster,” he repeated, his voice strong with finality. 

“But you don't want him, do you? His attentions are unwelcome, aren't they?” 

Shiro frowned. 

“Answer, Takashi,” it demanded. “You don't want him, do you?”

“Keith and I are friends,” Shiro said slowly. “I'll be around as long as he'll let me.”

It laughed. “Ever the diplomatic golden boy. This isn't an interview, Takashi. This is a matter of your ‘friend,’ as you say, dreaming of being fucked by you.” 

Then it grinned. “It’s the beautiful alien princess, isn’t it? The one who has truly captured the champion’s attention?” it said slyly. 

“What?”

“You love her, don't you?” 

“Allura?” 

“She would be the only beautiful princess on this ship, yes. He sees how you look at her, how you interact with her,” it drawled smoothly. “So. Is it love, Takashi? He's always been too scared to ask—makes sense as he wants you in his bed, of course—but I digress. Can you confirm once and for all of your secret crush on the lovely starry-eyed Altean?” 

Allura? Keith thought he loved Allura? 

“The little Galra slut can't offer you anything, Takashi,” it said as though it was a good friend confiding in Shiro. “Maybe a mediocre fuck or two, but why would you want that with royalty aboard? You've made it clear you don't want him, so what's stopping you, hmm?” 

But Shiro didn't want Allura. 

“I'm not interested in Allura.”

It rolled its eyes exaggeratedly. “Oh, you don’t need to try and spare his feelings with me. We’re all friends here, Takashi.” 

“I’m not,” Shiro repeated insistently. “Allura and I are friends. That’s it.” 

It frowned. “So you do want the whore. And here we both thought you had standards.” 

Shiro didn't reply. He didn't know how to reply. He did want Keith, but he had no right to Keith. Keith had explicitly stated he only sees Shiro as a brother, and it would be nothing but a betrayal of trust to want Keith the way the parasite said Keith wanted him. 

But it was lying. 

“Now tell me, Takashi,” it began curiously. He tensed, the last thing Shiro wanted was to face was it’s curiosity. “How do you feel about the boy now? Have his romantic affections changed your views of him?”

“I thought we were playing a game?” Shiro said, quickly trying to veer the conversation away from the current topic. 

The question was something he’d been trying to push down since the beginning of the thing’s interrogation. 

“I am,” it said, eyes wide in an expression of mock innocence. “But you didn't answer the question, Takashi. Remember what I said about answering questions?” 

“No,” he protested weakly. “The answer is no.” 

Liar. 

It regarded him coldly. “You're not playing the game right, Takashi. Liars aren't allowed.” 

“I’m not lying.” 

Saying it out loud, he tried to believe it himself.

“You’re saying that you hear somebody you see as your greatest friend wants you and nothing? Nothing at all?” 

“Nothing.”

It let out a low whistle. “Did you hear that, whore? He doesn’t even want you for sex.”

Shiro’s breath caught in his throat at the parasite’s words. He felt like the very air in his lungs had been pulled away and his veins had turned to ice. “Keith is listening?”

“Hearing every word. And oh! Look!” It caught a tear rolling down Keith’s cheek with the tip of his tongue. “We’ve made him cry!” 

“Keith…” Shiro trailed off, not sure of what to say. There was nothing he could do to fix this. 

“Now, now, Takashi,” it said like it was scolding a child. “You can't take back everything just because he's whimpering like a child. If you think he's just deluded himself into thinking you'd ever touch him, much less care for him, just say so. Just say he's repulsive, that you'd never touch a half-breed like him.” 

“Stop,” Shiro pleaded. “Please… Keith. Don't listen to it. Know that I really—”

“Don't coddle him, Takashi,” it pressed suddenly. “He's nothing but a half-breed who can't even fight his most base urges. He's not worth anything to you. Do what’s best and leave him here to be ended by me. I’ll be doing you a service. Tell the others he doesn’t belong on your team, especially with such a beautiful and capable princess on board to pilot the red lion.”

“Keith means a lot to me,” Shiro countered furiously. “He always has and you can’t change that, no matter what you say.”

“But you just admitted to not wanting him,” it argued with a raised eyebrow. “You really think you can go back to the times when you had your fun little sparring sessions with your ‘little brother’ now that you know where his thoughts go? How every little touch and word you give him he takes and takes and distorts it grossly. You can never go back to normal and you know it.” 

“I-I--,” Shiro was lost for words, and from the dark grin that crossed the parasite’s face it knew it too. 

“I understand you, Takashi. More so than the little whore ever could,” it tried to reason. “You don’t want a thing like him. He’s toxic to you, throwing his sexual and romantic affections onto you when you don’t want or need them.” 

“You’re wrong,” Shiro asserted viciously. “You’re wrong.” 

“I’m right, Takashi,” it persisted with a smile. “And you should realise that.” It yawned exaggeratedly while it stretched. “I think I’m done playing for today. Thanks for being my playmate, Takashi. Thanks to you, he gets to live another night. I hope we can play again tomorrow.” 

Shiro didn’t speak. He didn’t know what to say.

He knew he shouldn’t believe a word of what the parasite said… but what if there was some truth amidst everything it said?

Him and Keith were close, really close, and they had been since their days at the Garrison. 

“You heard everything?” 

Allura nodded sadly, eyes glistening with tears. 

“Please tell me you have something to fix it,” Shiro pleaded quietly. “Please.” 

Allura nodded, her usual ferocity replacing the moment of weakness. Shiro wished he could do the same. “The others have found multiple things on the parasite--resources that didn’t exist 10,000 years ago that Coran and I didn’t know about. Pidge’s skills with technology are quite remarkable, you know?” 

“Do they know?” Shiro questioned softly.

“No,” Allura replied. “They’ve all been busy working on a cure. You’re safe, Shiro.”

“Good. It’s best they don’t. I don’t want them to see Keith that way.”

Allura hesitated before nodding. “I understand, Shiro. You should go see Pidge.” 

Shiro gave her a light smile before abruptly obeying her order. 

He tried to avoid thinking thoughts of what had just transpired as he walked back to where the other paladins were. It didn’t work. 

Shiro had lied to the parasite. 

Ever since he returned from his time in captivity he’d begun to see the strong-willed cadet as a man of which he could give his romantic affections. In short, he really liked Keith in the way he couldn’t admit to the parasite. 

In all fairness, the parasite had lied too. Keith had said himself that Shiro was like his brother--nothing more, nothing less. The things it had said it had said to shame Keith and to push Shiro away, to disgust him. Once it had found out Shiro wasn’t going to have sex with Keith, it decided to use Keith’s insecurities of being alone against him. 

When Shiro entered where the other paladin’s were residing, he noticed they were all huddled together around something he couldn’t see. Shiro let himself hope that what they’d drawn their attentions to was something that was going to save Keith. 

“It needs this body,” Pidge said triumphantly when she noticed Shiro entered the room. “We’ve got it cornered.”

Shiro furrowed his eyebrows. “It said that it could just find another body in a year?”

She shook her head. “Not this one. According to what I’ve found, it’s almost as if the species has de-evolved since the Alteans were infected. Which should have been fairly obvious because, of course, even aliens are going to be affected by their surroundings over time and space. I can’t believe I didn’t think of basic evolution at first...”

“Pidge,” Lance interrupted abruptly, distracting the small girl from going off on a tangent of berating herself. “Don’t beat yourself up over it. All of us were distracted. Tell Shiro what else you found.” 

Pidge looked at Lance a moment with parted lips and pink cheeks before continuing with a shake of her head. “The parasite relies on whoever its possessing. The planet we’re on? There was an infestation 700 years ago that made the planet pack up and leave. Apparently some Galra tried to set up a base here at one point, but they ended up leaving too. Without a consistent source of strong emotion to eat, the parasite weakens to the point once it has a source of energy, it doesn't have the strength to leave the host for weeks. Also, there are ways to force it to leave the body. There actually is a type of medicine that causes the parasite to disintegrate from within the person’s body.” 

Pidge then handed Shiro a device that was long, thin, and clear, allowing him to see the opaque blue liquid within. “We were able to get all the stuff we needed during your interrogation with the parasite. All you have to do now is stab him with it and the parasite completely disintegrates from within his body.” 

“You were able to get all this all in the time I was with it?” Shiro questioned in disbelief. 

“Dude,” Hunk interjected, a look of concern plastered on his face. “You were gone three hours. We had time to pick it up from some space pharmacy... thing.”

Shiro didn’t know what to say to that. 

“You’ll need backup,” Lance spoke up, his voice strong, leaving no room for argument. “You should take me to help.” 

Shiro only nodded, almost surprised at the boy’s outburst. Lance usually wasn’t the type to stand strong with his thoughts and opinions--confident as he usually seemed, Shiro knew that his fellow paladin tended to doubt himself in serious situations. The fact that he was able to push himself forward was impressive to Shiro. 

“Me too,” said Allura. 

“Okay,” Shiro agreed, but regretfully. “But I make all the final moves. Don’t interfere unless it decides to attack or tries to hurt Keith.” 

Upon agreeing, the three left Coran, Hunk, and Pidge alone.

Back in the room of particle barrier cells, Allura pressed a button on the panel in the centre of the room. The thing looked strangely at the dissolving particle barrier, clearly not expecting it’s sudden freedom. It briefly panicked at the sight of Lance’s raised weapon. 

“Come now, Takashi,” it tried to reason to Shiro’s approaching figure. “After all the fun we had? You’re really going to try and fight me now? Especially when you know I’m the one with the power here?” It took a hand and held it to Keith’s throat. “Suffocation? Or would you like to see me use his hands to snap his own neck?” 

“You lied,” Shiro accused seriously. “You're dying, aren't you? You need Keith’s body to survive.”

It hesitated for a second—long enough for Shiro to know that Pidge was right about the real lifespan of the species. 

“How about we make a deal?” it countered quickly, sauntering closer to Shiro. “I really liked playing with you. You let me live, and I’ll keep this body and give you whatever you want.” It reached around Shiro’s neck with both of Keith’s arms, pulling Shiro’s body toe to toe with Keith’s. “No strings attached.” 

“Shiro,” Lance interrupted, rifle pointed straight ahead. “Don’t listen to it.”

“Stay out of this, boy,” the parasite hissed. “Mommy and Daddy are discussing business.”

“What makes you think I want that?” Shiro shot back, abruptly trying to disentangle himself from the parasite’s grasp. The parasite only tightened its python-like hold on him. “You did everything you could to turn me against Keith.”

“I realised something yesterday after our little game,” the parasite admitted, using Keith’s slim fingers to tickle the finely shaved hairs of Shiro’s scalp. “You'd do anything for your little whore. He didn't disgust you—you thrived off of the little boy’s lust, didn't you?” 

It pulled itself forward to where Keith’s lips were aligned with Shiro’s ear. “Think about it. This body at your every beck and call, day and night. You can finally see his slim bare body before you. I’d even let you pick if you would prefer to fuck him into the mattress or see him look beautiful as he rides you. You can use me all you want without all of lover-boy’s fanciful notions of romance. The boy would want devotion—loyalty. He wants your body and more, to take and take all of you and share you with nobody. Just pretend I'm him and it will all be perfect. All you have to do is let me keep the body for a little longer.”

“Shiro!” Allura shouted. “It’s lying to save itself and you know it!” 

“Don't let them hurt me, Takashi,” it begged desperately, eyes wide. “They would never touch me if you told them not to. You'd never let anybody touch your Keith, would you?” 

“You’ve tortured Keith,” Shiro growled in reply, finally pushing the parasite away roughly. “And now you think I’d actually try and help you?” 

“Tortured?” Lance questioned, sounding frightened. “Shiro what do you mean Keith was tortured?” 

Shiro ignored him. He glared at the parasite as it only looked at him with a face that expressed shock at being rejected. 

“Tortured?” it inquired bewilderedly. “I merely stated the truth.” 

“Even if they were true, those thoughts would be private. The things you made him say and do were wrong.” 

“Please, Takashi,” it said through Keith’s lips. It then tried with difficulty to pull Shiro back into its grasp. “Anything you want! Don’t you understand what I’m offering? Anything and everything could be yours if you just let me live!”

“Shiro what are you waiting for?” Allura shouted. “You have the serum!”

Shiro grabbed both of its hands and held them away from Keith’s body. The parasite struggled against the hold. Strong as it was in Keith’s body, Shiro gripped tight on the slender wrists. 

“Takashi,” it whined. “You’re hurting me.” 

“Shiro, now!” 

“I love you!” it shouted with Keith’s voice. “Takashi, I love you!”

There it was. Shiro’s breath caught in his throat. He knew it wasn’t Keith, but hearing that with Keith’s voice, coming out of Keith’s body caused him to freeze.

“That’s right, Takashi,” the parasite said, looking excited at Shiro’s sudden change in behaviour. “I love you.”

“Shiro!” Allura shouted, grabbing Shiro’s attention. 

With one last glance at the parasite’s frightened expression, Shiro threw the device against Keith's neck, promptly causing the boy's eyes to roll to the back of his head and fall forward right into Shiro’s arms.

Now limp in his arms, Shiro picked Keith up by placing an arm under his knees and the other arm cradling his head and gently curled the smaller man to his chest.

He immediately brought Keith to the med bay, Lance and Allura trailing behind him. Shiro placed Keith on one of the beds.

Shiro waited by Keith’s side until he awoke in a white chair by the bedside. 

He was alone when Keith’s eyelids slowly rose, Allura long having given up trying to get him to rest or eat. It took Keith a moment to assess his surroundings. 

“Keith,” Shiro said, touching his hand to Keith’s shoulder lightly. “Are you okay?”

“Shiro…” Keith began, looking frightened and pale at the sight of him. “I'm sorry.”

Not “okay” then. 

“You have nothing to apologise for.” 

“Yes I do,” Keith replied, much more firmly. 

“You had no control over what it was saying,” Shiro pressed. “Keith. I understand.”

“No. I don’t think you do,” he insisted bitterly.

“Keith, it’s fine,” Shiro pressed. “I know it lied. I’m just sorry it made you say those things.”

Shiro needed them to drop it. He needed Keith to brush it off. It was selfish of him to hope that Keith would avoid the conversation, but he couldn’t help but wish that this could all be over and done with and they could go back to being the good friends they were before. 

Keith was probably hurting. He wasn’t made of glass, but what had just happened had been terrifying for Shiro. Not being in control of your body must be just, if not more, terrifying. 

No matter what Keith wanted, Shiro would help him through it. Even if that meant having to bring up any of what the parasite had said. 

“You’re not getting it!” Keith growled. “I’m sorry because the things it said were true! They were all fucking true!”

Shiro’s eyes widened. That… he hadn’t expected. 

 

“Everything it said… all of it…” he trailed off. “I’ve thought all those things.” 

“It's nothing to be ashamed of, Keith,” Shiro said softly. 

“There's everything to be ashamed of! You know how I feel about you now, so how could you say that?!” 

“I’ve thought about you, too,” Shiro admitted quietly. 

Keith didn't say anything, a clear signal for Shiro to continue. 

“You mean a lot to me, Keith,” he began softly. “And ever since we got caught up in this Voltron mess, I’ve began to see you as more than just a cadet.”

“But you said--”

“I lied.”

Keith frowned. “So you don’t care that a Galra wants you? Because it was right. What happened to you… it’s because of those like me.”

“You’re nothing like them,” Shiro asserted, gripping Keith’s shoulder tighter. “You’re still the same person I cared about before you found out you were Galra. Nothing about how I feel for you has changed just because of your DNA.”

“But it was right,” Keith pressed, pink lightly dusting his cheeks. “Some of those things it said about the Galra, how they like being… bitten and scratched.”

Shiro replied before actually thinking through what was said, and what he was about to say. “I don’t mind.”

Keith’s eyebrows rose beyond the fringe of his bangs. 

“What I mean is,” Shiro began, feeling heat rise to his cheeks. “I know you. I've liked you regardless of what traits you do or don't have. You’re loyal and courageous--those are the traits I think of when I think of you. You’re a good man, Keith.”

“Shiro. You said you thought about me, too,” Keith said nervously, fisting the sheets of the medical bed. “Did you mean the same way I think about you?”

Shiro opened his mouth, and then promptly shut it. He knew what Keith was referring to, but couldn’t find it in himself to answer at the moment. How could he so easily say that, yes, there has been a time or two when he’d let his mind wander to moans and bare skin. In solitude he’d allowed himself to indulge in images of him and Keith together, thoroughly enjoying each others company. At the time he’d felt those images were more than he deserved, that Keith himself deserved better. Keith had seen their relationship as brotherly, and what right did Shiro have to dream about him soaked in sweat while sharing heated kisses? 

Now, however, was different. 

“Yes,” Shiro said, finally gathering up the nerve not to dodge the question. “Yes, I do.”

Keith looked away from him, but it was hard to miss the red that was spreading all across Keith’s face and down his neck. “Oh.”

“Yeah.”

A moment of oddly comfortable silence ensued. 

“You should rest more, Keith,” Shiro said, breaking the silence. “You look exhausted.”

“I’ve rested enough,” Keith grumbled, clearly gaining restlessness at being cooped up inside the med bay.

Shiro couldn’t help but laugh. Ever since becoming a paladin, Keith had grown and changed, but there were still moments where he could see aspects of the fiery young cadet he had grown to care about. 

At Keith’s disgruntled look at being laughed at, Shiro ceased, but he couldn’t help a lingering smile that graced his face. “You really should rest. If not for you, for me?”

Keith stared at him a moment before sighing. “Okay.” 

Shiro leaned over to kiss Keith’s forehead. “Thank you.” 

They both knew well enough that they were amidst a war and that a budding relationship would struggle in that, but Shiro felt they had a better understanding of one another that could mean something big for them in the future. Besides, who said they had to have a conventional relationship when the two were anything but. Who said there couldn’t be hand-holding while watching these unknown constellations or stolen kisses when the team was distracted. Shiro didn’t expect a normal relationship from two paladins of Voltron, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was him and Keith.


End file.
